Google Video's download to own service going away

Ever since the purchase by Cupertino, California based Google of YouTube, Google Video has played a very distant second fiddle to the free video clip structure of YouTube. One service that a handful of people just may have been subscribers to was the Google DTO/DTR (Download to own/download to rent) video service. For a nominal fee, people could purchase actual clips from Google Video and play them at their leisure through Google's special proprietary player. All of that will be coming to an end on August 15th as Google is pulling the plug on that service.

Letters were dispatched to the Google clients outlining its demise. A copy of the letter is as follows:

As a valued Google user, we're contacting you with some important information about the videos you've purchased or rented from Google Video. In an effort to improve all Google services, we will no longer offer the ability to buy or rent videos for download from Google Video, ending the DTO/DTR (download-to-own/rent) program. This change will be effective August 15, 2007.
To fully account for the video purchases you made before July 18, 2007, we are providing you with a Google Checkout bonus for $2.00. Your bonus expires in 60 days, and you can use it at the stores listed here: http://www.google.com/checkout/signupwelcome.html. The minimum purchase amount must be equal to or greater than your bonus amount, before shipping and tax.
After August 15, 2007, you will no longer be able to view your purchased or rented videos.

If you have further questions or requests, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

The Google Video Team

When contacted, representatives from Google confirmed that the DTO/DTR service was indeed being dismantled. It was stated that both Google and YouTube will focus more on generating revenue through advertisements rather than the sale of video clips themselves.

Since January of last year, Google Video has sold videos containing television shows, primetime shows, news, sports, and many other programs for just a few dollars. Initially, the cost of the video allowed users viewing for an entire day. Should a customer really like what they were watching, they could pay a couple more dollars and have the video for as long as they want. However, with the demise of the service, the Google Player that allows the viewing of these paid for clips also goes away, rendering the videos useless.

As a result, Google says it will offer credit for these purchases via Google Checkout. These credits could be used to purchase other items from Google themselves. Seeing as Google has never really been in the business of offering up anything of worth for sale, it seems that the masses will all be able to carry around a keychain bearing the Google logo.

1 user comment

I think that this whole Google video issue was a matter of just time. The day Google purchased Youtube we all knew that it was only a matter of time that its own version of Google Video was going to go down.